Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputies Ó Murchú, Cronin and Donnelly. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It has been some time coming. Many people are interested in the issue and would have liked to see the Bill being brought forward sooner. Its provisions will be important for those affected, particularly small family farmers and small business owners. It will provide them with some solace and protection and will also ensure, in some part, that their businesses and farms are sustainable and viable. That is a really important point for our rural communities, in particular, and is to be welcomed.

It also speaks to the greater point about models of care and the nursing homes support scheme. There are very significant challenges. Those of us interested in the demographics and the nature of our health services know that we have a very particular challenge in Ireland in sustaining nursing home support and care of the elderly. We all want to see a model that provides for people living at home for as long as possible. That is an important element. Nursing homes have an important role to play, but much needs to be done to ensure that older people can live at home for as long as possible.

Regarding the role of carers and the need to support them to care for people in their homes, my colleague, Deputy Claire Kerrane, brought forward a charter for carers. A number of important measures would be of significant benefit in terms of practical supports for carers, such as talk therapy and expanding GP visit cards, in addition to increasing and expanding carer's allowance, carer's benefit and support grants. The introduction of a discretionary grant for carers would be another important measure that would be a significant positive. I know many who are struggling to pay their heating and electricity bills, such is the nature of their work and, unfortunately, the way in which they are valued by this State. It is well recognised that carers play a major role in providing care, which is not valued in the way it should be. That issue needs to be addressed.

The greater point about the role of the nursing homes scheme is that it has developed in a largely uncontrolled way. I see it in my county of Meath, where there was much speculation, general tax breaks and incentives for people to build nursing homes. People have ended up in that sector for reasons other than having a traditional background in healthcare provision and delivery. That, in and of itself, raises the real need for a strong role for HIQA, but also for ensuring maintenance of high standards, which includes the terms and conditions of employment.

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted, certainly in its first wave, many of the weaknesses within the system.

We will have an opportunity to address that. Many people working in the sector are dedicated and tremendously hard-working. It would be to everybody's benefit to put in place robust standards and protections for staff, workers and the residents themselves. That will be important going forward as the growing ageing population puts pressure on those services. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill and there will be further opportunities to develop it as well.

See this speech in context